On-line Safety
It's important to remember that most social media sites requires everyone to be at least 13 years old before they can create an account.
Creating an account with false info is a breach of their terms. This includes accounts registered on behalf of someone under 13.
E Safety
E-safety is an integral part of children’s education in today’s digital world and is embedded in their learning at school. We also want to help our parents and children improve their own understanding of e-safety issues so they can learn to use the internet and all digital media in a safe and secure way.
At School
As part of your child’s curriculum and the development of computer skills, we provide access to the internet only in teacher supervised lessons. We strongly believe that the use of the web and email is hugely worthwhile and an essential tool for children as they grow up in the modern world. But because there are always concerns about children having access to undesirable materials, we have taken positive steps to deal with this risk in school. Our school internet access provider operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials.
As part of their computing lessons each class discusses how we can all stay safe online and the dangers we may face on the internet.
At Home
As a parent, you'll know how important the internet is to children - they use it to learn, play, socialise and express themselves. It's a highly creative place of amazing opportunities. But the technology children use every day can seem a bit daunting and you might worry about the risks your child can face online - such as bullying, contact from strangers or the possibility of them seeing illegal or inappropriate content.
You can download a simple checklist here that may help you start to protect your children online and decrease the risks they face. Or you can engage with your children regarding their use of the internet while at home. Here are some conversation starter ideas from www.childnet.com
- Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.
- Ask them about how they stay safe online. What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them? What is OK and not OK to share?
- Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block on the services they use.
- Encourage them to help. Perhaps they can show you how to do something better online or they might have a friend who would benefit from their help and support.
- Think about how you use the internet as a family. What could you do to get more out of the internet together and further enjoy your lives online
Parent Resources
To try and help parents with the fast moving and changing world of internet and social media we've suggested a few internet sites on the right of this page which are fantastic resources, They contain information on different types of social media and how to help keep children safe.
Childnet is a UK-based charity who empower children, young people, and those who support them in their online lives, and its mission is to work with others to make the internet a great and safe place for children and young people - click on the link here to visit their website
We have a new check list for parents to help their children stay safe:
I have asked my child to show me sites they use.
By doing so, your child is including you in their online life and social activity. Show an interest and take note of the names of their favourite sites. You can then re-visit these when you are alone. Take your time and explore the space, find out how to set the safety features and learn how to report any issues directly to the site.
I have asked my child to set their profile settings to private.
Social networking sites such as Facebook, are used by children to share information, photos and just about everything they do! Encourage your child to set their privacy settings to private. They need to think about the information they post online as it could be copied and pasted anywhere without their permission. If it got into the wrong hands, somebody may wish to use it against them or worst of all try to locate the in the real world.
Privacy settings are an important part of keeping our young children safe and you can find out more information about them on the ThinkUKnow website - click here
I have set appropriate parental controls on my child’s computer, mobile and games console.
Filters on computers and mobiles can prevent your child from viewing inappropriate and possibly illegal content. You can activate and change levels depending on your child’s age and abilities. You can also set time restrictions for using the internet or games. They can be free and easy to install. Call your service provider who will be happy to assist or visit CEOP’s parent’s site for further information. Explain to your child why you are setting parental controls when you talk to them about internet use.
My child has agreed to tell me if they are worried about something online.
Sometimes children get into situations online where they don’t feel comfortable or see something they don’t want to see. By opening up the communications channel and talking to your child about the internet, their favourite sites and the risks they may encounter, they are more likely to turn to you if they are concerned about something.
I know where to get help if I’m concerned about my child.
The CEOP Safety Centre provides access to a range of services. If you are concerned that an adult has made inappropriate contact with your child can report this directly to CEOP. You can also find help if you think your child is being bullied, or if you’ve come across something on the internet which you may think might be illegal.
Visit the Safety Centre at www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre
Remote Learning
As every child starts at Hawthorn Primary School we provide them with a Microsoft 365 Teams account. This means that they are able to access a range of resources from Microsoft including Word, Excel and Powerpoint to help with their learning throughout their time here. In addition, we use this platform for home (and remote if necessary) learning
We have disabled access to Microsoft Outlook (emails). To increase our children's safety while they are online, we have blocked students from sending and receiving emails. As part of our computing curriculum and the national curriculum - pupils are required to be able to compose, send and receive emails - this is done through a class email account and its use is supervised by the class teacher.
The school has access to all students' accounts and can block students' access to Microsoft and Teams if they do not act appropriately.
In addition, it is vital that they do not share their username or password with others. This way we can ensure that we are doing our utmost to keep our children safe online. We tell the children their password is like their toothbrush - and they wouldn't share that!!
Jessie and Friends
To see the latest information for parents on how to keep their 4-7 years olds safe on line, please click here.
Smartphone Safe
If you would like to know more information on how to keep your child safe when they are using a smartphone here is a very useful and informative link here.
Internet Safety Resources
There is a great new online safety tool designed for parents launched by the Department for Education called Parent Info. It's has advice on everything from keeping children safe from online trolls to WhatsApp - a guide for parents.
Childnet is a great website resource for parents and children on online safety.
Think U Know has a great section for parents and covers topics such as gaming and talking to strangers. You can also search by topic or age range to find information that is relevant for your family.
Internet Matters is another great site to use - it has advice on cyberbullying, how to talk to your children about internet safety and quick guides to different types of social media such as Instagram and Snapchat.
You can download the Department for Education's advice for parents on cyberbullying here
Here are quick links to a range of Internet safety sites that you may find useful too...